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Pavlik staying busy in life after boxing

BEAVER TOWNSHIP — The last time former unified WBC, WBO, Ring magazine and lineal middleweight champion Kelly “The Ghost” Pavlik spoke to the Curbstone Coaches, he was giving a thought, albeit a not-so-serious one, to making a ring comeback.

With all he has going on in his life right now and the ventures he has undertaken since announcing his retirement (January of 2013), not only will he not be making a comeback, but he’s having a hard time just finding a spare moment to get in a workout.

Addressing the Curbstone Coaches during Monday’s weekly meeting at Avion Banquet Center, Pavlik told the group that his gym at 144 E. Park St. in Columbiana has really taken off while his April 25 amateur card at the Masonic Temple in Youngstown is drawing plenty of interest.

“Mi-Gym is going great right now. We have over 300 members currently using our 5,000 square foot facility, which just turned two years old this past December,” Pavlik said. “We’re open 24-7, 365 days a year with the key being our members work out when their schedules permit and when they have some free time. They come when they are able to because we’re always open.”

Admitting that he was nervous when his gym first opened and hoping that it would be well-received, the gym has continuously grown over the past 26 months from free weights and machines, to adding belt squats, cardio equipment, ellipticals, treadmills and stair-steppers among their many other recent workout additions.

“You can always jump rope, we have an agility ladder, kettle bell swing and in the back room there are tractor tires and sledge-hammers that will also give you a good work out,” he said.

His Kelly Pavlik Charitable Organization is looking into the possibility of opening a boxing gym.

“We’re anxious to get moving on opening a boxing gym, but we must be selective,” Pavlik said. “We’re looking for the right building and need to find the right location before we do anything. The feedback has been great, and it is going to be exciting for the area and entire community when it comes to fruition.

“We’re going to have motivational speakers, but those using then gym must keep their grades up and stay out of trouble.”

His upcoming fight card will be an all-amateur event.

“We’ll have 10, maybe 12 evenly paired bouts,” he said. “The Masonic Temple on Wick Avenue by Rayen Avenue and right by the YSU campus is a great location for everyone.”

Along with former local professional middleweight contender and good friend Billy Lyell, Pavlik helped design a mobile fitness app last summer called the Sweet Science +, a boxing training and nutrition app that is for everyone from high school students, to the stay-at-home mom, to a 20-year old college student to the 50-, perhaps 60-year-old or retired man or woman who simply wants to keep in shape and eat right.

“Billy and I both wished we had something like this when we were in training during our amateur and professional careers,” he said. “You don’t have to be a boxer to want to do this because it is designed for anyone that wants to work out and stay in shape.”

Lyell’s wife, Jessica, a certified nutritionist, provides daily, weekly and monthly meal plans as well as a grocery list. The app also provides three months of boxing exercises and strength and conditioning workouts. Recipes are also included.

“We’ve hired an advertising company for app optimization and to get the word out so we’re moving on this quickly,” Pavlik said. “I’m very fortunate to be able to do this.”

The app is available on both iTunes and Apple IOS.

Next Monday, Jim Borgen, a local sports memorabilia collector, will serve as guest speaker.

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